Transportation Engineering

To make travel safer and healthier in Clackamas County, we are developing tools and programs for travelers and employers. This set of tools, or travel options, will help expand awareness about transit services, recreational trails and carpooling to improve public health and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

What does a travel options action plan do?

The plan will:

• Develop a suite of travel options for people in urban Clackamas County to broaden ways for people to travel without a vehicle.
• Identify new, innovative opportunities to improve mobility.
• Define strategies to help people use transportation networks and infrastructure more effectively without using a vehicle.
• Explore strategies to reduce congestion on roadways such as van pools, commuter shuttles, bike parking, vehicle parking policy and employer-provided reduced cost transit pass programs.
• Fulfill the travel options requirement of the transportation system plan for the State of Oregon
• Develop and implement a pilot program to improve mobility for targeted audiences in Clackamas County.

Project Area

All urban areas of Clackamas County are included in this analysis and action plan. The county will coordinate with cities about travel options in their specific areas.

Timeline

Steering Committee Members

Related webpages

• Transportation System Plan
• Walk Bike Clackamas
• Pedestrian and Bikeway Advisory Committee
• Transportation Planning
• Safe Routes to School
• Climate Action Plan
• Damascus Mobility Plan
• Transportation Safety Action Plan
• Traffic Safety Commission

The need remains for a transportation link for people that walk and bike across the Clackamas River to connect the cities of Gladstone and Oregon City. 

This phase of the project will identify a preferred bridge structure type and perform up to 30 percent engineering design. The bridge will replace the recently demolished Portland Ave Historic Trolley Bridge and connect the existing Trolley Trail, a shared-use path for bicyclists and pedestrians, to trails that exist along the Clackamas River on the Oregon City side of the river. 

The bridge design continues the work completed in a previous feasibility study. Clackamas County is assisting the City of Gladstone through the design process using the county's ODOT certification. 

Why

To improve active transportation access across the Clackamas River for pedestrians and bicyclists in the Gladstone and Oregon City areas. 

Schedule

Design: March 2024 – Dec. 2026

Traffic impact

No traffic interruptions during design phase.

Current activities

Project design

Funding

• Project estimate $1.37 million 
• Funding is provided from federal funds through the Metro 2022-24 Regional Flexible Fund Allocation Grant and from the City of Gladstone.

Bridge structure options

Ensuring all traffic can cross the bridge without weight restrictions.

The Abernethy Creek (Holly Lane) Bridge crosses Abernethy Creek in the Oregon City area. The bridge has weight restrictions for traffic due to deficiencies in the concrete deck, floor beam cracks, and weakness of the gusset plates and will be replaced to current design standards. 

Why

To carry travelers without load restrictions for all traffic including emergency response and commercial truck traffic.

Schedule

• Design: Winter 2025 to Spring 2027
• Right of way: Winter 2026 to Spring 2027
• Construction: Spring 2027 to Winter 2028

Traffic impact

Expect delays or closures during construction.

Current activities

Waiting for funding agreement to initiate bid proposal for engineering design. 

Funding

• Project estimate $1.4 million
• Funding is provided from the county road funds

Convert the two intersections to two roundabouts, widen the travel lanes to 12 feet, and add bike lanes.

We will also replace the culvert at Boeckman Creek under the intersection with a fish passable culvert, and add stormwater facilities to treat water runoff.

Clackamas County is partnering with Washington County and the City of Wilsonville since the intersection spans multiple jurisdictions.

 Proposed design for the two roundabouts.

Visit the virtual open house

Why

To reduce congestion and improve safety for all travelers, and provide safe passage for fish and other wildlife though waterways.

Schedule

• Project planning and design: Fall 2024 – Summer 2027
• Right of Way Acquisition Efforts: Spring 2026 – Summer 2027
  All right of way acquisitions are conducted as required by state and federal law. Read right of way brochure: English | Spanish.
• Construction: Winter 2027 – Spring 2029

Current activities

• Stafford-65th-Elligsen roundabout open house, Feb. 10
  5:30 to 7:30 p.m., Tuesday, Feb. 10
  Wilsonville City Hall 29799 Town Center Loop E, Wilsonville, OR 97070

  Drop in anytime to learn more about the project and ask your questions to transportation experts at our second in-person open house. Our engineering design team has created a 60% level layout for your review after listening to questions and concerns at the first open house a year ago. The next step will be final refinements to project design, then we'll prepare the project to be posted for construction bid next year.

• Visit the virtual open house
• Refining the proposed improvement design, utility coordination, and environmental permitting. 

Traffic impact

• Road closures are anticipated for a portion of this project. When construction work can safely occur with traffic, one lane will be closed at a time.  

Funding

• Project estimate $14 million
• Funding is provided from Community Road Fund and Transportation System Development Charges, City of Wilsonville funds, and Washington County funds

Resources

• Flythrough animation video
• Presentation to Stafford Hamlet [video], Nov. 12
• Open house #1 documents
  • Schedule
  • General area map
  • Traffic and crash data
  • Full map: Multilane roundabout (option 1)
  • Full map: Two traffic signals (option 2)
  • Full map: Two roundabouts A (option 3, alignment A)
  • Full map: Two roundabouts B (option 3, alignment B)

Report oil spills from auto accidents and construction activities or illegal dumping into a storm drain.

In an emergency, please use our phone numbers to ensure a prompt response. 

Please include the following information:

• Address or nearest cross street
• Description of problem
• Your name
• Your contact information, including phone number and email address

Your contact information will be submitted in confidence, and the county will not disclose your information except as required by law.

Thank you for helping us to protect public health and the environment!

Improving safety for students who walk and bike to school 

When the sun doesn’t shine for multiple days in a row, the solar powered school flashing beacons may not have enough power to operate reliably. We will connect the signs to power utilities at six locations throughout the county.  

Flashing signs will be upgraded at: 

• River Road at Jennings Lodge Elementary
• River Road at Riverside Elementary
• 152nd Ave at Oregon Trail Elementary
• Webster Road at Alder Creek Middle School
• 242nd Ave at Lewis and Clark Charter School
• 172nd Ave at Scouters Mountain Elementary

Why

To maintain reliable operations, provide safer roadways for all users and to reduce maintenance costs.

Schedule

• Design: Complete
• Construction: May 2026 to Winter 2026

Traffic impact

Expect shoulder and lane closures with minimal delays during construction.

Current activities

Construction 

Funding

• Project estimate $580,000.
• Funding is provided from Community Road Funds.